Barranquilla Colombia Temple Wiki

Quick Facts

ANNOUNCED
1 October 2011

ANNOUNCED BY
President Thomas S. Monson

GROUNDBREAKING
20 February 2016

GROUNDBREAKING PRESIDED BY
Elder Juan A. Uceda

DEDICATED
9 December 2018

DEDICATED BY
Elder Dallin H. Oaks


DEDICATION ORDER
161

LOCATION
Carrera 46 via Al Mar PR 107
Sentido
Barranquilla, Atlantico
Colombia

Description

The Barranquilla Colombia Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) under construction in Puerto Colombia, Colombia. The Barranquilla Colombia Temple serves members from the following seven stakes and two districts in Colombia: Barranquilla Colombia El Carmen Stake, Barranquilla Colombia Hipodromo Stake, Barranquilla Colombia Paraiso Stake, Cartagena Colombia Los Alpes Stake, Cartagena Colombia Stake, Montería Colombia Stake, Santa Marta Colombia District, Sincelejo Colombia District, and Valledupar Colombia Stake.

History

 People from North America living in Cali and Bogotá made up most of the first 45 members. Then in May 1966, missionaries entered the country. Just five years later, there were 27 congregations meeting in 10 different cities. In 1975, a chapel was built. Today there are over 1 members organized into 29 stakes and 11 districts.[1]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “New Temples Announced for France, Africa, Colombia, Utah and Wyoming,” 1 Oct. 2011.

Announcement

Church President Thomas S. Monson announced the Barranquilla Temple on October 1, 2011 during the Saturday morning session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference.[2]Walker, Joseph (1 October 2011). “LDS general conference opens with the announcement of six new Mormon temples”. Deseret News. Salt Lake City. Retrieved 1 October 2011[3]“Mormon church president announces plans for new temples in Utah, Wyoming, Colombia, Africa”. Washington Post. AP. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2011

Colombia Temples at Time of Announcement

Announced

Under Construction

Dedicated

  • Bogota Colombia [1999]

ANNOUNCED ORDER
163

Date2011 10 01
ByThomas S. Monson
RolePresident
ViaGeneral Conference

⮜Preceded by Provo City Center
Followed by Durban South Africa

Announced 2011 10 01

*Paris had previously been announced 2011/07/15 by a french newspaper

Groundbreaking

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Barranquilla Colombia Temple took place on Saturday, 20 February 2016, in the 50th anniversary year of the Church in Colombia. Elder Juan A. Uceda, president of the South America Northwest Area, presided at the ceremony. It was no coincidence, he explained, that construction of the country’s second temple was beginning in that anniversary year. The hand of the Lord is at work. He challenged members to make temple attendance a regular family tradition, to hang photographs of the temple in their homes, and to conduct family history research. In his dedicatory prayer, he asked the Lord’s blessings on all who would participate in the temple’s construction including government leaders. Following the prayer, Church and civic leaders formally broke ground for the temple. Afterward, many more took the opportunity to turn a shovelful of dirt.[4]Ground is broken at site of future temple in Barranquilla, Colombia,” Church News 20 Feb. 2016, 1 Apr. 2016.

Thousands of others viewed the event, via satellite, in meetinghouses across the country. Also in attendance were local government, police and business leaders.

GROUNDBREAKING ORDER
166

Date2016 20 02
ByJuan A. Uceda
RoleSeventy
Attendees#

⮜Preceded by Kinshasa DRC
Followed by Durban South Africa

Open House

The public open house for the Barranquilla Colombia Temple was held from Saturday, November 3, 2018, through Saturday, November 24 except for November 4, 11, and 18, 2018.[5]“Second Colombian Temple Opens for Free Public Tours”, Newsroom, LDS Church, 2018-10-30

Start Date2018 11 03
End Date2018 11 24
Days13
Attendees35,000
Per day2,692.3

Youth Devotional

Youth were invited to attend a devotional especially for them on Saturday, 8 December 2018. President Oaks and Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles greeted and spoke to Latter-day Saint youth in a special devotional.[ref”]Barranquilla Colombia Temple Is Dedicated,” Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9 December 2018. [/ref]

President Oaks encouraged young people to study the Book of Mormon. He said, “Reading should be first on your list of what you do each day to learn the gospel and keep the commandments. The importance of the Book of Mormon is related to the testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement.”

During his remarks, Elder Soares told youth, “Whatever you do, keep your eyes on the temple. We invite you to go to the temple and do the vicarious work for your relatives and others. We are all transformed when we go to the temple.”

Dedication

The temple was dedicated on Sunday, December 9, in three sessions at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., by President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The dedication was broadcast to all congregations in Colombia.[6]“Announcement of Temple Dedication Dates in Chile and Colombia: Second temple in both countries”, Newsroom, LDS Church, 2018-02-28

Before the first dedicatory session, President Oaks, Elder Soares, and members of the local Church leadership participated in the cornerstone ceremony. President Oaks explained that placing mortar around the cornerstone block is symbolic that the temple is complete.

He invited Church leaders, as well as, a young boy and a young girl to fill the cornerstone with mortar. President Oaks said, “These children represent the rising generation, the future leaders of the Church in Colombia.”[ref”]Barranquilla Colombia Temple Is Dedicated,” Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9 December 2018. [/ref]

The Barranquilla Temple is the Church’s 161st temple worldwide and the second in Colombia, the first having been completed in Bogota in 1999; it is the 19th in South America. This temple will serve approximately 35,000 Latter-day Saints in Colombia’s northern regions.

DEDICATION ORDER
161

Date2018 12 09
ByDallin H. Oaks
Role1st Counselor
Sessions3
Attendees#

⮜Preceeded by Concepción Chile
Followed by Rome Italy

Dedicatory Prayer

Construction Duration

SpanDuration
Announced
to
Groundbreaking
4 y,
4 m,
19 d
Groundbreaking
to
Dedication
2 y,
9 m,
18 d
Announced
to
Dedication
7 y,
2 m,
8 d

Dedicatory Order

GLOBAL

161

REGION
S. AM.
19

COUNTRY
COLOMBIA
2

STATE
ATLANTICO
1

COUNTY


CITY
PUERTO COLOMBIA
1

Summary

The Barranquilla Colombia Temple is the second temple in Colombia; following the Bogotá Colombia Temple. It is the 161st Temple built in the world. At the time of it’s dedication there were 10 additional temples announced or under construction in South America. Additionally there were 10 temples under construction worldwide, with another 30 announced awaiting groundbreaking.

Detail

Announced

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Under Construction

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Under Renovation

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Presidents And Matrons

Temple PresidentTemple MatronYears Served
Hernando Camargo PedrazaClaudia Ines Suarez Cepeda de Camargo2024–
Bruce Frederick CarterKathryn Thelma Hayes Carter2021–2024
César Augusto Dávila PeñalozaMiryam Hernández Cruz de Dávila2018–2021

Details

Location

Just outside of Barranquilla, in the picturesque oceanside community of Puerto Colombia across from Colegio Alemán, approximately two kilometers west of Barranquilla proper, the Barranquilla Colombia Temple rises from a hill located on the highway to Cartagena. The elvated property overlooks the Magdalena River- the biggest river in Colombia, and the ocean.[7]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Nuevo Templo Mormón en Barranquilla, Colombia,” 26 Jun. 2012.

Site

Location

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Exterior

Cladding

The exterior of the Barranquilla Colombia Temple is Limestone block.

Windows

The windows on the Barranquilla Colombia Temple are stained art glass

Exterior Finish

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Symbolism

Inscription

The inscription on the Barranquilla Colombia Temple is at the top of the temple, at the base of the spire. The inscription is gilded and has been carved into the stone in Spanish.

SANTIDAD AL SEÑOR
LA CASA DEL SEÑOR

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Cornerstone

The cornerstone on the Barranquilla Colombia Temple is on the left hand corner when staring at the Temple front door. This is on the South east corner of the temple, East most face.

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Spires and Finial

Spires

There is a Single spire on the Barranquilla Colombia temple. It is on the center of the North East most end of the temple. The spire design is heavily influenced by the twin spires on the Iglesia de San Jose in Barranquilla Colombia.

Spire Details

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Moroni

The Angel Moroni Statue on the Barranquilla Colombia Temple is a fiberglass replica of Karl Quilter’s 1982 Statue. The statue was placed upon the temple 15 November 2017 and faces North East by East.

Sculptor:Karl Quilter
Commissioned:1978
Completed:1982
Material:Fiberglass
Height:7 ft (2.1 m)
Weight:~300 lbs (181.4 kg)
Currently On:105 temples
Finish:
Placed:
Faces:

Interior

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Styledetached, attached, combined
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Instruction Rooms

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Rooms#
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Celestial Room

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Sealing Room

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[with additional version]

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Region

Argentina7Bahía Blanca · Buenos Aires Argentina · Buenos Aires City Center · Córdoba · Mendoza · Rosario · Salta
Bolivia3Cochabamba · La Paz · Santa Cruz
Brazil24Belém · Belo Horizonte · Brasília · Campinas · Campo Grande · Curitiba · Florianópolis · Fortaleza · Goiânia · João Pessoa · Londrina · Maceió · Manaus · Natal · Porto Alegre · Recife · Ribeirão Preto · Rio de Janeiro · Salvador · Santos · São Paulo · São Paulo East · Teresina · Vitória
Chile6Antofagasta · Concepción · Puerto Montt · Santiago · Santiago West · Viña del Mar
Colombia4Barranquilla · Bogotá · Cali · Medellín
Ecuador2Guayaquil · Quito
Paraguay1Asunción
Peru10Arequipa · Chiclayo · Chorrillos · Cusco · Huancayo · Iquitos · Lima · Lima Los Olivos · Piura · Trujillo
Uruguay2Montevideo · Rivera
Venezuela2Caracas · Maricaibo

Sources and Citations

References

References
1 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “New Temples Announced for France, Africa, Colombia, Utah and Wyoming,” 1 Oct. 2011.
2 Walker, Joseph (1 October 2011). “LDS general conference opens with the announcement of six new Mormon temples”. Deseret News. Salt Lake City. Retrieved 1 October 2011
3 “Mormon church president announces plans for new temples in Utah, Wyoming, Colombia, Africa”. Washington Post. AP. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2011
4 Ground is broken at site of future temple in Barranquilla, Colombia,” Church News 20 Feb. 2016, 1 Apr. 2016.
5 “Second Colombian Temple Opens for Free Public Tours”, Newsroom, LDS Church, 2018-10-30
6 “Announcement of Temple Dedication Dates in Chile and Colombia: Second temple in both countries”, Newsroom, LDS Church, 2018-02-28
7 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Nuevo Templo Mormón en Barranquilla, Colombia,” 26 Jun. 2012.

Last updated on: 12 September 2025